Air guide and hair brush support device

ABSTRACT

An air guide and hair brush support device is provided which has a hollow handle contiguous at one end with a hollow enclosure. The hollow enclosure has a bottom wall containing a plurality of vents. Air guide means are disposed within the enclosure for defining separate air channels to each of the vents whereby each vent is in separate air flow communication with the hollow handle. The bottom wall of the enclosure is adapted to releasably support a hair brush unit which is provided with openings which overlap the vents in the bottom wall. The hollow handle, which is provided with a plurality of spaced grooves, is connected, at its outer end, to a portable hair dryer through a flexible air conduit.

United States Patent Newman et al.

AIR GUIDE AND HAIR BRUSH SUPPORT DEVICE Inventors: Martin Newman, 1203 N. Sweetzer,

\ Los Angeles, Calif. 90060; Alvin L.

Frankel, 6038 W. 75th St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90045 Filed: June 27, 1973 Appl. No.: 374,271

US. Cl 132/9, 15/400, 34/97 Int. Cl A45d 20/50 Field of Search l5/345, 346, 396, 397, 15/400, 405, 409, 415; 34/96, 97, 98, 243 R;

12/1958 11.. 15 345 x 12/1958 Warva 15 400 x 3,322,144 5/1967 DeBoer, Jr. et al. 34/98 X Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Attorney, Agent, or FirmDonald Diamond [5 7 ABSTRACT An air guide and hair brush support device is provided which has a hollow handle contiguous at one end with a hollow enclosure. The hollow enclosure has a bottom wall containing a plurality of vents. Air guide means are disposed within the enclosure for defining separate air channels to each of the vents whereby each vent is in separate air flow communication with the hollow handle. The bottom wall of the enclosure is adapted to releasably support a hair brush unit which is provided with openings which overlap the vents in the bottom wall. The hollow handle, which is provided with a plurality of spaced grooves, is connected, at its outer end, to a portable hair dryer through a flexible air conduit.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 AIR GUIDE AND HAIR BRUSH SUPPORT DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an accessory for a portable hair dryer and, more particularly, it relates to a hollow, vented, air guide and hair brush support device designed to releasably engage a hair brush unit along its bottom wall and adapted to be coupled to a portable hair dryer through a flexible air conduit.

Heretofore, it has been common practice to dry and style wet hair by drying the hair with hot air from a portable, electric hair dryer held in one hand while simultaneously brushing and styling the hair with a hair brush held in the other hand. Since this method of drying and styling requires the use of both hands, effective styling has beem somewhat burdensome because one hand is not free to control the hair in order to arrange it in a manner which is most suitable to the individual.

Although brush and dryer combination units are available which permit one hand to remain free for control purposes, these units are not entirely satisfactory since, as a result of their small size, they produce less heated air than the ordinary portable dryer and, therefore, their use requires a longer time to dry and style the hair.

It would, of course, be desirable to provide a hollow, vented, hair brush assembly which could be coupled to an ordinary portable hair dryer through a flexible air conduit in order to take advantage of the large volume of heated air generated by such dryers. A hollow, vented, hair brush assembly of this character would enable the user to obtain the benefits of employing the portable hair dryer as a source of heated air and, at the .same time, one hand would be free to assist in arranging the hair in order to meet the individuals hair styling requirements.

vented, air guide and hair brush support device which ,isadapted to be ventilatively connected to a hair brush unit and is further adapted to be coupled to a portable hair dryer through a flexible air conduit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described having a bottom wall containing a plurality of vents and having air guide means within the device for defining separate air channels to each of the vents in the bottom wall.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described wherein the air guide means take the form of slats which extend upwardly from the bottom wall and horizontally towards a port which is contiguous with a hollow handle with the outer end of the handle adapted to be connected to a portable hair dryer through a flexible air conduit.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described wherein the slats have an arcuate-like configuration whereby transmission resistance to air flow through the device is minimized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention, there is provided a hollow, vented, air guide and hair brush support device which includes a hollow handle contiguous atone end with a hollow enclosure with the handle and the enclosure being in open port communication. The hollow enclosure has a bottom wall provided with a plurality of vents and air guide means are disposed within the enclosure for defining separate air channels to each of the vents in the bottom wall whereby each vent is in separate air flow communication with the hollow handle.

The air guide means advantageously comprise spaced slats in abutment with the bottom wall adjacent to the vents and in abutment with the laterally disposed side walls of the enclosure with the slats extending upwardly from the bottom wall and horizontally in the direction of the hollow handle. The slats have an arcuate-like configuration which offers minimum resistance to air flow through the channels leading to the vents.

The hollow handle is provided with a plurality of spaced grooves in its outer surface resulting in a rib and groove configuration which has insulating and gripping functions under use conditions. A flexible air conduit is employed to connect the outer end of the hollow handle to a portable hair dryer.

The bottom wall of the enclosure is adapted to releasably engage a hair brush unit which is provided with openings which overlap the vents in the bottom wall.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a hollow, vented, air guide and hair brush support device coupled to a portable hair dryer through a flexible air conduit and, in ad'- dition, shows a hair brush unit secured to the under side of the device with the latter partly broken away to show the location of positioning pins.

FIG. 2 is a transverse section along line 2--2 of FIG. 1 and shows the tongue and groove arrangement for removably securing the hair brush unit to the device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the hollow, vented, air

guide and hair brush support device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hair brush unit.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section along line 55 of FIG. 3 and shows the position and configuration of the slats defining the air channels within the air guide and hair brush support device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to drawings and, in particular, to FIG. 3, there is shown a hollow, vented, air guide and hair brush support device having a hollow handle 4 which is contiguous at one end with a hollow enclosure 8 with the handle and the enclosure being in open port communication.

The hollow enclosures includes a bottom wall 10 having first and second oppositely disposed lateral edges l2, 14 which adjoin the lower edges of the first and second, oppositely disposed, lateral side walls l6, 18 of the enclosure. The bottom wall of the enclosure is provided with a plurality of substantially aligned vents 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d as shown in FIG. 3.

Air guide means are disposed in the enclosure for defining separate air channels to each of the vents in the bottom wall whereby each vent is in separate air flow communication with the hollow handle. The air guide means advantageously comprise spaced slats 22 in abutment with the bottom wall adjacent to the vents and in abutment with the lateral side walls of the enclosure with the slats extending upwardly from the bottom wall and horizontally in the direction of the hollow handle. In a preferred embodiment, the slats have an arcuate-like configuration whereby transmission resistance to air flow through the air guide and hair brush support device is minimized.

The hollow handle 4 of the air guide and hair brush support device has a cylindrical configuration and spaced grooves 24 are circumferentially disposed on the outer surface of the handle. The resulting rib 26 and groove arrangement provides an advantageous insulation and gripping function under use conditions.

A hair brush unit 28 is adapted to be releasably secured to the bottom wall of the enclosure. The hair brush unit comprises bristles 30 attached to a backing member 32 which has the samd general configuration as the bottom wall of the enclosure. The backing member is provided with openings 34a, 34b, 34c and 34d which overlap the vents in the bottom wall when the brush unit is secured to the bottom wall. The means for removably securing the brush unit to the bottom wall of the enclosure may advantageously take the form of a dual-track, tongue and groove assembly with the tracks of the tongue portion 36 being disposed on the outer surface of the bottom wall adjacent to the lateral edges thereof and the tracks of the corresponding groove portion 38 being disposed on the outer surface of the backing member adjacent to the lateral edges thereof.

First and second yieldable positioning pins extend outwarldy from the outer surface of the backing member of the brush unit. The first positioning pin 40 is located between opening 34a and theforward end 42 of the backing member and is adapted to engage an opening, detent or rise on the bottom wall to effect appropriate alignment when the brush unit is being slidably assembled on the bottom wall and to prevent rearward movement of the brush unit with respect to the bottom wall under use conditions. The second positioning pin 44 is located immediately exterior to opening 34a and is adapted to extend through vent a when the brush unit is assembled to the bottom wall and thereby prevent forward movement of the brush unit with respect to the bottom wall under use conditions.

The outer end 46 of the hollow handle is connected to a portable dryer 48 through a flexible air conduit 50. One end of the air conduit is provided with a shoulder and neck coupling member 52 for engaging the outer end of the hollow handle and the other end of the air conduit is provided with a conically shaped coupling member 54 for engaging the outlet nozzle 56 of the portable dryer.

When the air guide and hair brush support device is to be used in connection with the drying and styling of the hair, the hair brush unit is slidably attached to the bottom wall and the outer end of the hollow handle is connected to the portable dryer through the flexible air conduit. The dryer is turned on and hot air is passed from the nozzle successively through the air conduit, hollow handle and air channels to each of the vents and outwardly through the openings in the hair brush unit. Thus, the device described herein enables the user to obtain the benefits of employing a portable hair dryer as a source of heated air and, at the same time, permits one hand to be free to assist in arranging the hair in order to meet the individuals hair styling requirements.

While in the foregoing description and accompanying drawing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it will be understood, of course, that minor changes may be made in the details of construction as well as in the combination and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

That which is claimed is:

1. A hollow, vented, air guide structure and hair brush support which comprises:

a hollow handle contiguous at one end with a hollow enclosure with said handle and said enclosure being in open port communication,

said hollow enclosure having a bottom wall provided with a plurality of vents, said bottom wall having first and second oppositely disposed lateral edges and said enclosure having first and second oppositely disposed lateral side walls with the lower end of the first lateral side wall adjoining said bottom wall first lateral edge and the lower end of the second lateral side wall adjoining said bottom wall second lateral edge, and

air guide means in the enclosure for defining separate air channels to each of the vents in the bottom wall, said air guide means comprising spaced slots in abutment with the bottom wall adjacent to said vents and in abutment with said first and second lateral side walls, said slots extending upwardly from said bottom wall and horizontally in the direction of said hollow handle whereby each of said vents is in separate air flow communication with said hollow handle.

2. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said slats have an arch configuration.

3. A structure according to claim 2 wherein said hollow handle is provided with a plurality of spaced grooves in its outer surface.

4. A structure according to claim 3 wherein said hollow handle has a cylindrical configuration and said spaced grooves are circumferentially disposed on the outer surface of said handle.

5. A structure according to claim 4 which includes hair brush unit and means for removably securing said hair brush unit to the bottom wall of said enclosure with said hair brush unit having openings adapted to overlap the vents in the bottom wall of said enlcosure.

6. A structure according to claim 5 wherein said means for removably securing said hair brush unit to said bottom wall comprise a tongue and groove combination.

7. A structure according to claim 6 which includes a flexible air conduit having first coupling means at one end for coupling said conduit to the outer end of said hollow handle and having second coupling means at the other end for coupling said conduit to the outer end of a portable hair dryer.

8. A structure according to claim 7 wherein the vents in said bottom wall are in substantially uniform alignment. 

1. A hollow, vented, air guide structure and hair brush support which comprises: a hollow handle contiguous at one end with a hollow enclosure with said handle and said enclosure being in open port communication, said hollow enclosure having a bottom wall provided with a plurality of vents, said bottom wall having first and second oppositely disposed lateral edges and said enclosure having first and second oppositely disposed lateral side walls with the lower end of the first lateral side wall adjoining said bottom wall first lateral edge and the lower end of the second lateral side wall adjoining said bottom wall second lateral edge, and air guide means in the enclosure for defining separate air channels to each of the vents in the bottom wall, said air guide means comprising spaced slots in abutment with the bottom wall adjacent to said vents and in abutment with said first and second lateral side walls, said slots extending upwardly from said bottom wall and horizontally in the direction of said hollow handle whereby each of said vents is in separate air flow communication with said hollow handle.
 2. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said slats have an arch configuration.
 3. A structure according to claim 2 wherein said hollow handle is provided with a plurality of spaced grooves in its outer surface.
 4. A structure according to claim 3 wherein said hollow handle has a cylindrical configuration and said spaced grooves are circumferentially disposed on the outer surface of said handle.
 5. A structure according to claim 4 which includes hair brush unit and means for removably securing said hair brush unit to the bottom wall of said enclosure with said hair brush unit having openings adapted to overlap the vents in the bottom wall of said enlcosure.
 6. A structure according to claim 5 wherein said means for removably securing said hair brush unit to said bottom wall comprise a tongue and groove combination.
 7. A structure according to claim 6 which includes a flexible air conduit having first coupling means at one end for coupling said conduit to the outer end of said hollow handle and having second coupling means at the other end for coupling said conduit to the outer end of a portable hair dryer.
 8. A structure according to claim 7 wherein the vents in said bottom wall are in substantially uniform alignment. 